Improvement in evaporating-pans



T. McQTJISTON.

E'VAPORATING-PAN.

Patented d'une 1876:.

3mm MAW 3k vlmk KW N. PEIERS. PHOTO-UTNOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C

UNITED TIES IMPROVEMENT lN EVAPORATlNG-PANS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 179, 124, dated June27, 1876; application filed March 27, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS MGQUIsTON, of Morning Sun, Preble county,Ohio, have invented a new and useful Sorghum-Evaporator, of which thefollowing is a specification This is an improvement in those apparatusfor boiling the crude sap of sorghum and kindred sugar-canes whichconsists of a series of shallow and connected pans or compartments,arranged horizontally, or nearly so, over a furnace; and my inventioncomprises a provision of one or more intermediate compartments in whichactive ebullltion is prevented by the interposition of an opening orchamber for air or other non-conductor between the pan bottom and thefurnace-flue at that part. 7

My invention further comprises a check or impediment to catch and retainthe sediment within such insulated compartment, and prevent its passageinto the finishing-compartment.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents, by perspectivelongitudinal section, one-half of an evaporator embodying my invention.'Fig. 2 is a side elevation of that part of the evaporator which containsmy insulating-chamber.

A, B, O, D, E, and 1:! constitute a series of compartments, of which themetallic sheet Gr constitutes the bottom. Of these compartments, thecompartment A, immediately over the fire, is open on one side of it, itsfloor extending outward and upward to constitute a bay or shoal, a. V

The partition H which separates compartinents A and B is low and has anopening, h, between it and the bottom to allow the liquor to flowforward and the scum to flow backward, as per heavy and dotted arrows.

I represents the furnace, and J the flue leading from the sameunderneath the series of compartments.

One or more of the intermediate compartments D is insulated from theflue by an opening or chamber, 75, that, extending from side to side andcommunicating with the atmosphere at each end, or being filled with anysuitable non-conductor, at all times efsea) D, in front of the opening Linto the next compartment E, has an elevation, bar, or impediment, d,which prevents the passage of dregs into said compartment E from thesaid insulated compartment.

Each compartment communicates with that on each side of it by customarygated passages, of which one is clearly shown at L.

A battery to work the sap produced by a mill of two-horse power Iusually make about thirty-four feet long, with a fall, toward thefinishing end, of one and a half inch, and with one dead sea, while oneto work the juice of a three-horse power mill I make forty-eight feetlong with a fall of two inches, and with two dead seas.

The situation of the shoal a to one side of the battery places itcompletely out of contact with the furnace-heat, and enables the scum tobe'pulled back and removed without scorching, and also permits theattendant to operate without interfering with the operations of thefurnace-hand and without exposure to fire.

The contents of the dead sea being iso lated from the fire are free fromebullition, and, being often depleted by skimming, remain constantly ata lower elevation than those in the neighboring compartments, both infront and in rear, and hence the scum from the latter perpetually flowsinto said dead sea, and in turn reaches a condition for skimming, so asto enable the attendant to remove all the scum which accumulates at thisstage of operation.

I claim as new and of my invention 1. One ormore intermediatenon-boiling compartments, D, insulated from the furnaceheat bynon-conducting portion K, and communicating with theboiling-compartments both in front and rear of it, substantially as andfor the purpose explained.

2. In combination with the insulated compartment D and partition havingopening L, the bar or impediment d, for the purpose designated.

In testimony of whichinvention I hereunto

